Becker pitches in for Autism Centre

Dubai: Former world number one Boris Becker is hoping to raise money for a Dubai charity by playing an exhibition tennis match in the emirate in November.

"I want to play against the No 1 UAE player next month and the proceeds from the match will go towards the support of the Dubai Autism Centre," Becker told Gulf News.

The German said he was hoping to get in touch with Tennis Emirates through the Dubai Sports Council, under whose patronage the exhibition match will be played.

"The finer details of the exhibition match will be worked out shortly. We could even have the exhibition match right here at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel," stated Sanjay Chimnani, Joint Managing Director of ACI.

Becker was in Dubai for the formal unveiling of the Boris Becker Beach Resort and Tennis Academy, one of the region's most ambitious integrated luxury mega resorts in Ras Al Khaimah.

The German reportedly has a 50 per cent stake in the tennis academy and part ownership of the resort.

"We want this to be a tennis destination, not merely for the professionals who can use this as a base to train and prepare for tournaments, but also for the normal players who love the sport," Becker said.

The academy will have six tennis courts, of which two will be indoor. The courts will be fitted with the preferred rebound ace surface.

Personal role

The German is keen to play a significant role not only in the design of the tennis academy, but also in co-managing the facility with long-time friend and fellow German Davis Cup partner Eric Jelen.

"Tennis is huge all over the world, and we realise how it has been growing in this region. We are here to complement this growth and not compete," Becker insisted.

The project is also meant to provide youngsters with an opportunity to test their skills in the sport.

"Not everyone can become a tennis player. We want people to come and test themselves and see if they can achieve the highest level in the sport," remarked Robin Lohmann, Managing Director, ACI Real Estate, the developers of the facility.